Big Little Lies Season Two: Everything You Need To Know

Following the unprecedented success of the first season, it was confirmed at the end of last year that Big Little Lies will be renewed for a second series to the delight of fans everywhere. From the air date, to the surprise additions to the cast, here’s everything you need to know about season two of the Golden Globe-winning show.

Who will appear in the second season?

Executive producers Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman were locked in to the show when HBO announced the return. The stars who play Madeline Mackenzie and Celeste Wright repectively will reportedly be paid $1 million per episode according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Kidman, who took home the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Miniseries said in a statement, “What a journey this has been. I’m so grateful to have this opportunity to keep exploring these female characters and make this series with my friends.”

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The rest of the cast will follow suit as HBO has announced that Laura Dern, the winner of the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress, Shailene Woodley and Zoë Kravitz have been officially confirmed.

Alexander Skarsgård may also be reprising his role as Perry Wright. After winning the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor, he revealed to NBC, “I don’t even know if I’m really dead or not. We'll see.”

But Vallée did tease in an interview with Entertainment Tonight that there will be a new, potentially unexpected character coming, “Perry’s mother, that’s all I can say.” And what's more? Variety has reported that Academy Award–winning actress Meryl Streep will be joining the cast as Mary Louise Wright. "Concerned for the well-being of her grandchildren following her son Perry’s death, Mary Louise arrives in Monterey searching for answers," it reports.

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Both Laura Dern and Kidman have expressed their excitement at the addition of the actress, explaining at the Calvin Klein autumn/winter 2018 show in New York to ET, "It's amazing! When I tell anyone in my life that Meryl Streep is joining us, it's incredible!"

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While the actress joked that everyone on the show "worked very hard to beg her," Kidman added that she did not need much convincing at all. "Reese and I were just [thinking], 'She would be so amazing in the role! We didn't think we'd get her." the Top of the Lake star admitted.

"It was written for her and we wanted her," she added. "It really is her standing up and going, 'I support you as women, and I believe in you.' I think that's a big statement from her".

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On whether the series writer David E. Kelly would recruit his wife Michelle Pfeiffer to appear in the series, he joked on the Golden Globes red carpet that she's "too expensive." Pfeiffer responded that no one has asked her.

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What will happen?

While the first season stayed true to the plot of Liane Moriarty’s book with the same name, season two will explore previously untold stories of the Big Little Lies protagonists. Witherspoon explained in a statement that the second series “gives us the opportunity to delve deeper into the lives of these intriguing and intricate Monterey families and bring more of their stories back to the audience who embraced and championed them.”

According to the network, we should expect “malignancy of lies, the durability of friendships, the fragility of marriage and, of course, the vicious ferocity of sound parenting. Relationship will fray, loyalties will erode [and] the potential for emotional and bodily injury shall loom.” In other words, everything we hope for.

The protagonists will be forced to confront the truth of Perry's death. At the same time, Madeline must come to terms with her own marriage and Celeste is "adrift, but determined to fight for her family and find the woman she once was." While, Renata is set to face new challenges, Jane will try to rebuild her life and Bonnie will struggle to come to terms with her actions as well as the demons of her past. It appears that the latter will take on a more pivotal role in the second series as we will reportedly meet her parents.

If Skarsgård’s character is returning, does this mean that the show will travel back in time as (spoiler) his character was killed off at the end of season one by Bonnie (played by Zoe Kravitz)? If this is the case, the plot may explore the past, in particular the origins of his relationship with Celeste, a subject that we do not know much about. Or is Skarsgård giving us the biggest hint of all by implying that Perry is not really dead? I guess we will have to wait to find out.

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When will they start filming?

Filming will commence this year. But, there will be one very big change from the first season. Academy Award-winning filmmaker Andrea Arnold will be replacing Jean-Marc Vallée as director. Witherspoon explained backstage at the 2018 Golden Globes that “We are so deeply grateful to Jean-Marc Vallée. His vision for these characters, the way he guided us - everything. He put his artistry and his heart and soul into it. His musical taste is all over this miniseries. Unfortunately, he was busy, we did try and accommodate, but we wanted to get the second season started soon because I do think the public wants it soon!”

“We're just thrilled to welcome [Arnold] to our family,” Witherspoon continued. “And we're just thrilled we get to do this again together.”

Fans of the eclectic playlist need not worry, Vallée will still serve as a producer.

When will season two be released?

While there is no confirmed date, it has been suggested that the second series will air in 2019. For those of you impatient to return to Monterey, HBO's president of programming, Casey Ploys told Vulture, “It wouldn't be impossible to get on in 2018”.